I spent another four hours unsuccessfully looking for the Purple Heron around Littlesea, Studland today. However, I was pleased to photograph this Ashy Mining Bee as I was walking back to the car park. I've seen Ashy Mining Bees in large numbers before where I used to work in Hampshire in Mar - May. Their colony was a large area of well mown lawn. They would fly low over the grass on sunny days. They disappeared after early May, so I assumed that was the end of their flying season for the year. So, I wasn't expecting this Mining Bee to be the same species. However, checking the excellent Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland by Falk & Lewington, I was surprised to find that they occur on other habitats, including heathland & can have a partial second generation in Jul - Aug. All of which fit perfectly for Littlesea. This is the first time I've seen them on the Studland patch.
Ashy Mining Bee
Ashy Mining Bee
Ashy Mining Bee
